Dellums in Denial

Once again, it appears that Ron Dellums lives in an alternate universe. I'd love to live in the same parallel universe that Dellums sees when he looks out the window of his limo. Dellums is offended that HBO wants to film a show, based on a real life documentary, about an ex-pimp in Oakland. He says "this project goes our vision of Oakland as a 'model city' ". I feel sorry for poor clueless Dellums, for Oakland is no 'model city'. Here are some facts for him:

With all due respect, Mayor Dellums can't make Oakland a 'model city' by putting his head in the sand and wishing it would all go away. You know what I mean: like the way he failed to handle the Edgerly situation until the breaking point was long past. Frankly, he needs to do something more than whine. He can't hope Oakland into a better place. He can't fight crime with inspirational statements.

Personally, I welcome an HBO series about an ex-pimp trying to get his life back together. It might be good for there to be a show about people getting their lives together, rather than the plethora of shows where people's lives are falling apart. It's a wonder that the mayor of murder town, who can't see the positive in this, somehow sees Oakland as a 'model city' that has "come too far to have our city's name trampled upon in the name of entertainment". I'll take this form of entertainment any day over the alternatives of street races, gang shootings, and reading about what our mayor is doing while visiting another city far away from here.

OAKLAND — An HBO drama that would examine the world of prostitution in Oakland has come under fire from Mayor Ron Dellums and other city officials even before filming has started.

The show, called "Gentlemen of Leisure" and based on the 1999 documentary "American Pimp," would be set in Oakland and would focus on a pimp in his 40s and his attempts to get out of the business.

The show's production, slated to begin in 2009, could be an economic boon for the city, which has made efforts to bring in more filmmakers, but officials such as Dellums worry about what impact the show would have on Oakland's image.

"It is the mayor's view that this project goes against our vision of Oakland as a 'model city' and does a disservice to residents and visitors alike," Dellums' chief of staff, David Chai, said Saturday. "While the mayor understands that there are certain benefits to having a major film project in our city, he is not willing to support this project at this time. The people of Oakland have come too far to have our city's name trampled upon in the name of entertainment."

The mayor's office is open to further talks between the city and HBO, Chai said.